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<p>The need for affordable housing across the East African Community (EAC) member states is key on all government agendas for the year. Real Estate Analyst, Wacu Mbugua from Cytonn Investments joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Why EAC govts. are prioritising affordable housing in real estate sector

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<p>The Parliament of Rwanda is hosting the 55th Session of the Africa Caribbean Pacific Parliamentary Assembly and 38th Session of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Kigali. CNBC Africa&#8217;s Fiona Muthoni spoke to Pekka Haavisto the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Finland on the assembly, what impact Brexit will have on EU arrangements with African countries and the Economic Partnerships Agreement deal between the East African Community (EAC) and the EU that has been pending.</p>


Pekka Haavisto on what attracts  Finnish investors to Rwanda

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<p>The East African Community (EAC) and the Development Bank of South Africa entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Africa Investment Forum held in Sandton from 11 to 13 November. CNBC Africa’s Kopano Gumbi spoke to Kenneth Bagamuhunda, Director General, East African Community and Mohan Vivekanandan, Group Executive, Origination and Coverage at the DBSA about what the MOU entails.</p>


Africa Investment Forum: DBSA

Africa Investment Forum: DBSA, East African Community seek to boost infrastructure development with joint MoU

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<p>The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the East African Community (EAC) have signed an MoU for project development and implementation. Key sectors will include IT, infrastructure and healthcare. CNBC Africa&#8217;a Kopano Gumbi spoke to Bernard Mono, Head of Finance at East Africa Development Bank and Mohan Vivekanandan, Group Executive, Origination and Coverage at the DBSA.</p>


Africa Investment Forum: DBSA, East African Community sign MoU for project development & implementation

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<p>The fourth edition of the East African Community&#8217;s Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki Utamaduni Festival or simply &#8216;JamaFest&#8217; is currently underway in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. The bi-annual seven day event, that&#8217;s designed to promote regional socio-cultural integration, began as a mandate given at the EAC Council of Ministers in 2011 and since has been hosted by Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda. Now the ball is in Tanzania&#8217;s court, Entertainment and Logistics Expert, Hellen Kazimoto joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


How Tanzania is branding East Africa’s image with JamaFest event

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<p>In a follow up to the Luanda agreement signed between the heads of state of both Rwanda and Uganda, high delegation officials met in Kigali to start the implementation process. CNBC Africa was at the press conference addressed by Rwanda&#8217;s Minister of State in charge of the East African Community (EAC) and Uganda&#8217;s minister of Foreign Affairs.</p>


Rwanda-Uganda peace talks continue, what consensus will be reached?

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<p>Trade and political disputes between member states of the East African Community (EAC) are resulting into an increase in Non-Tariff barriers and other hindrances to trade in the region. To find out solutions, Kenneth Bagamuhunda, Director General of Customs and Trade at the East African Community joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


EAC’s Bagamuhunda on addressing trade disputes and removing trade barriers

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<p>The Central Corridor of the East African Community (EAC) has embarked on various infrastructure projects that aim to facilitate trade in the region. However, lack of financing among other deterrents has been hindering their completion. Dieudonne Dukundane, Executive Secretary of the Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


EAC’s Central Corridor projects and its financial challenges in facilitating trade

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<p>Flights in the East African region have been noted for being among the most expensive in the world with the Kigali to Entebbe, Uganda route the most costly flight in the world for its distance. Yesterday, Uganda Airlines launched its maiden flight and becomes the fifth national carrier in the region, with this development there is a lot of optimism for the sector. On the prospects and potential of the industry in East African Community (EAC), Aviation sector expert Allan Brian Senyonga joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Uganda relaunches its national carrier after 18 years, what does this mean for aviation in East Africa?

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<p>Over the past 5 years, the East African Community (EAC) has reduced the bottlenecks on both the central and northern corridors as a way of facilitating trade in the region but despite this a number of challenges hindering the logistics industry still remain. Director of Transport at Trademark East Africa (TEA), Abhishek Sharma joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


More intra-Africa trade needed: Challenges faced by logistics industry in EAC

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<p>East African Community (EAC) member states are set to start discussions on revising the timelines for the start of the single currency regime, after realising that it would be difficult to set up the necessary institutions and achieve the set macroeconomic benchmarks with only five years to the 2024 deadline. Reginald Kadzutu, Economic Analyst joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


EAC single currency experiencing shortfalls: Lots of monetary expansion still needed

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<p>East Africa&#8217;s only low cost carrier Jambojet is setting it&#8217;s sights on more expansions in the East Africa community with an initial focus on coastal routes, this is amid challenges in the East African Community (EAC) aviation sector. CEO of the airline, Allan Kilavuka joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Low cost carrier Jambojet eyes East Africa expansion for growth

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<p>Rwanda and Ugandan leaders over the weekend met in the Angolan capital, Luanda as the host country and the Democratic Republic of Congo&#8217;s leaders tried to mediate between the two East African Community neighbours. President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda met at a Regional Security Summit recently hosted by Angolan President Joao Manuel Lourenco and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) leader Felix Tshisekedi. Researcher and analyst, Dr. Frederick Golooba-Mutebi joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


DRC, Angola to meditate Uganda-Rwanda dialogue

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<p>Regional integration holds key to reducing infrastructure costs across EAC but still faces many challenges. CNBC Africa’s Fiona Muthoni had a conversation with Ambassador Claver Gatete, Minister of Infrastructure, Rwanda, on best business models to boost sustainable private sector investment in infrastructure projects.</p>


How we can boost sustainable infrastructure investments – Rwandan Minister

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<p>The national budget of Rwanda is set to increase by 16 per cent for fiscal year 2018/19, the proposed total budgeted resources amount to Rwf2, 443.5 billion, which is Rwf328.2 billion higher compared to Rwf2, 115.3 in the 2017/18 revised budget.</p>


Rwanda national budget set to increase by 16%

<p><strong><span class="fn author-name">Sekou Toure Otondi | University of Nairobi</span></strong></p>
<p>As Kenya’s general election beckons the race has effectively narrowed down to two horses. Either, opposition leader Raila Odinga , or incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta will be Kenya’s president after August 8.</p>
<p>The bid for State House has attracted eight presidential contenders in total. But in recent weeks the focus has shifted to Odinga’s National Super Alliance and Kenyatta’s Jubilee Party, both of which have recently unveiled their manifestos.</p>
<p>While the manifestos look good on paper, depending on one’s political leaning, they are unlikely to have a significant impact on how Kenyans will cast their votes. The majority of the electorate have already decided on their preferred candidate. Most will vote on the basis of their tribal affiliations. The latest polling by Infotrak shows that only 8% of Kenyans are undecided on which presidential aspirant to vote for.</p>
<p>Despite the fact that party manifestos will not shift voting patterns, they do provide a policy snapshot of what the parties would prioritise were they to form the next government.</p>
<p>The fact that neither the Jubilee Party nor the National Super Alliance manifesto takes much account of relations between Kenya and its peers in the East African Community, is noteworthy. And disturbing.</p>
<p>A study of the two manifestos shows that neither has a coherent plan for regional integration. This should concern Kenyans, as well as the country’s neighbours.</p>
<p>Relations between Kenya and its neighbours aren’t as they could be. A few months ago cabinet secretary for foreign affairs Amina Mohamed accused Kenya’s neighbours of not backing her candidature for the chairmanship of the African Union commission. Uganda openly disputed the claims, which only served to bring more attention to the suspicions.</p>
<p>More concerning are the increasingly unpredictable relations between Kenya and Tanzania. Even as the campaign heats up a diplomatic row is raging between the two countries.</p>
<p>Tanzania and Kenya are key actors in the EAC integration process. According to the 2016 Kenya economic report, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda account for the largest intra-trade volumes within the EAC sub-region.</p>
<p>Therefore, Tanzania’s protectionist tendencies, which include both tariff and non-tariff barriers, not only threaten free trade within the community, but also encourage other states to place their own national interests before those of the union.</p>
<p>Tanzania’s overt nationalism is likely to stymie the integration process. Thus the need for Kenya and Tanzania to quietly resolve their differences before they escalate into an open diplomatic row.</p>
<h2>Fractious regional relations</h2>
<p>There have long been cracks in East Africa’s fledgling union.</p>
<p>Since the 2013 general election that ushered in the Jubilee administration, Kenya’s engagement in the community has become increasingly low key. The result was the formation of an informal coalition of the willing, which included Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya. It’s goal was the fast-tracking of regional integration through large scale regional infrastructure projects. These countries came together in reaction to Tanzania’s lukewarm approach to community affairs. At the time the informal coalition was formed, Tanzania was under the leadership of President Jakaya Kikwete.</p>
<p>Following the election of President John Pombe Magufuli in 2015, Kenya’s engagement with Tanzania has slackened even further. The cold relations between the two countries is partially explained by the diplomatic charm offensive that Magufuli launched to restore Tanzania’s influence in the region. His efforts scuttled the coalition of the willing and sidelined Kenya within the bloc.</p>
<p>A potent and noxious mix of competing interests have aggravated the frosty relationship between Kenya and Tanzania. There is stiff competition between the two countries to host large scale regional projects. There have also been disagreements over trade deals.</p>
<p>The standoff is threatening the integration process because the other community members are finding that they have to align themselves with either Kenya or Tanzania. This is getting in the way of joint decision making.</p>
<p>A highlight of the competing views in the region surfaced during the signing of the European Union/East African Community economic partnership agreement when Kenya and Tanzania once again took opposing views.</p>
<p>Tanzania has always opposed the trade deal on the grounds that it was contrary to its national economic interest. Kenya’s view is that Tanzania wants to scuttle the economic progress of the east African bloc.</p>
<h2>Tensions fuelled by elections</h2>
<p>Differing points of view between political elites in the region have also contributed to dampened community relations. Whenever one of the member states goes into an election, other community leaders will align with either the opposition or the incumbent. These alignments are usually based on personal relationships rather than common ideology.</p>
<p>Forming alignments based on a shared ideology would indicate that the integration process was on course. More so because the East African Community’s ultimate objective is to form a political union and a shared ideology would go a long way to that end. But, instead of staking cross-border political support on ideology or regional policy frameworks, support continues to be pegged on personal relationships.</p>
<p>This is detrimental to the integration process. In 1977, the first East African Community suffered a similar fate when it collapsed under the burden of personal differences between leaders in the bloc.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, the political goodwill of individual elites in community governments cannot be gainsaid. Politicians will always be at the centre of the policy that governs the integration process.</p>
<p>It’s on this basis that I argue for the inclusion of more detailed East African Community-related policy in the manifestos of Kenya’s main political outfits. Whoever forms the next government needs to factor in the big matter of community integration.</p>


Op-Ed: Why it  matters that regional integration has taken a back seat in Kenya’s election

<p>Tanzania said on Wednesday it would not sign a regional trade deal with the European Union due to come into effect by Oct. 1, and urged neighbouring countries to back a delay pending discussions on its effect on the region&#8217;s manufacturing sector.</p>
<p>Kenya and Rwanda signed the deal earlier this month, but it needs approval from all members of the East African Community bloc &#8211; which also includes Burundi and Uganda &#8211; to take effect.</p>
<p>The trade deal with the European Union gives EAC member states duty- and quota-free access for their goods to the EU as long as they meet the set health and safety standards.</p>
<p>But Tanzania&#8217;s Minister of Foreign Affairs Augustine Mahiga, describing the EU as an &#8220;industrial giant&#8221;, said fledgling industries in his country would not be able to cope with zero-rated imports of European goods.</p>
<p>&#8220;Tanzania will not sign the economic partnership agreement (EPA) until several issues are addressed,&#8221; Mahiga told journalists in Dar es Salaam.</p>
<p>EAC member states initialled an interim EPA deal in 2007 and another in 2014. Governments were given two years from the October 2014 agreement to ratify the deal in national parliaments.</p>
<p>South Sudan, which joined the bloc this year, was not part of initial negotiations of the deal, which started in 2002.</p>
<p>Kenya stands to lose the most without the deal signed, as other member states &#8211; including Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda &#8211; would still continue getting duty- and quota-free access under EU&#8217;s Everything But Arms initiative since they are classified as Least Developed Countries.</p>
<p>&#8220;If the EPA is not signed and ratified by all EAC partner states by Sept. 30, 2016, Kenya stands to lose its market to the EU, having significant impact on her economy,&#8221; Kenya&#8217;s Trade and Industrialisation Ministry said in a statement late last week.</p>
<p>Governments in the region are also anxious to ensure that exports such as tea and fresh flowers, which are major sources of foreign exchange, are not hampered by any tariffs on trade with Britain after it leaves the European Union.</p>
<p>Mahiga said Tanzania would urge regional leaders on Thursday to delay the signing of the deal at an EAC heads of state summit in Dar es Salaam to give more time for the bloc to renegotiate the agreement with the EU.</p>
<p>The summit will be chaired by Tanzanian president John Magufuli and Rwandan president Paul Kagame and Uganda&#8217;s Yoweri Museveni will attend, Tanzania&#8217;s foreign affairs ministry said on Wednesday.</p>
<p>The presidents of Kenya and Burundi will send representatives to the meeting, Tanzanian officials said.﻿</p>
<p> </p>


EAC

Why EAC govts. are prioritising affordable housing in real estate sector

Pekka Haavisto on what attracts Finnish investors to Rwanda

Africa Investment Forum: DBSA, East African Community seek to boost infrastructure development with joint MoU

Africa Investment Forum: DBSA, East African Community sign MoU for project development & implementation

How Tanzania is branding East Africa’s image with JamaFest event

Rwanda-Uganda peace talks continue, what consensus will be reached?

EAC’s Bagamuhunda on addressing trade disputes and removing trade barriers

EAC’s Central Corridor projects and its financial challenges in facilitating trade

Uganda relaunches its national carrier after 18 years, what does this mean for aviation in East Africa?

More intra-Africa trade needed: Challenges faced by logistics industry in EAC

EAC single currency experiencing shortfalls: Lots of monetary expansion still needed

Low cost carrier Jambojet eyes East Africa expansion for growth

DRC, Angola to meditate Uganda-Rwanda dialogue

How we can boost sustainable infrastructure investments – Rwandan Minister

Rwanda national budget set to increase by 16%

Op-Ed: Why it matters that regional integration has taken a back seat in Kenya’s election

Tanzania urges delay to regional trade deal with EU, says won't sign

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EAC

Why EAC govts. are prioritising affordable housing in real estate sector

Pekka Haavisto on what attracts Finnish investors to Rwanda

Africa Investment Forum: DBSA, East African Community seek to boost infrastructure development with joint MoU

Africa Investment Forum: DBSA, East African Community sign MoU for project development & implementation

How Tanzania is branding East Africa’s image with JamaFest event

Rwanda-Uganda peace talks continue, what consensus will be reached?

EAC’s Bagamuhunda on addressing trade disputes and removing trade barriers

EAC’s Central Corridor projects and its financial challenges in facilitating trade

Uganda relaunches its national carrier after 18 years, what does this mean for aviation in East Africa?

More intra-Africa trade needed: Challenges faced by logistics industry in EAC

EAC single currency experiencing shortfalls: Lots of monetary expansion still needed

Low cost carrier Jambojet eyes East Africa expansion for growth

DRC, Angola to meditate Uganda-Rwanda dialogue

How we can boost sustainable infrastructure investments – Rwandan Minister

Rwanda national budget set to increase by 16%

Op-Ed: Why it matters that regional integration has taken a back seat in Kenya’s election

Tanzania urges delay to regional trade deal with EU, says won't sign

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